Snorkeling Excursions

Snorkeling tours and snorkeling locations can be found all over the island of Oahu.

Many snorkeling tours will depart from Kewalo Basin in Honolulu and snorkel the areas off Honolulu and Waikiki but other snorkel locations are off the coast of Ko Olina, the Waianae coastline, the areas of the north shore near Haleiwa and off the coast of Kaneohe Bay and Kailua Bay on the windward side of Oahu.

Hanauma Bay is also one of the great snorkeling spots on Oahu and has easy access from the shore.

Snorkeling boats and tours on Oahu.

There are numerous snorkeling boats on Oahu and they come in many shapes and sizes, take you to varied locations and come with varying agendas:

Many Oahu snorkel charters are catamarans (both sailing and power) that vary in size from 37' to 65' in length and can take a maximum of 6 passengers to a maximum of 80 passenger.

Some Sailing Yachts that take you on snorkeling excursions can have amenities equivalent to a penthouse suite.

One popular Oahu snorkel trip takes you over the mountains through the Pali Tunnel to Kaneohe Bay where you'll sail to a sand bar that overlooks the film site of Gilligan's Island and the picturesque island called Chinaman's Hat.

Rigid-hulled inflatables similar to zodiacs can whisk you along the Waianae coast to find the perfect snorkeling location.

Private snorkeling charters can often provide you with the best pricing for your Oahu snorkel trips depending on the size of your party.

Donned with mask and snorkel and protected by an underwater cage, snorkeling to see the array of sharks Oahu has to offer is a popular Oahu snorkeling adventure.

Some Oahu snorkeling adventures can take as short a time as two and a half hours and others can take you out for a full day.

Snorkeling tours on Oahu can also be taken on a Kayak.

Never snorkeled before? Snorkeling is simple, can be learned in a matter of minutes and mastered on your first outing.

Snorkeling is easiest to learn with the assistance of one of the crew members on a Oahu snorkeling trip.

Here are some reasons people love snorkeling on Oahu:

The ocean waters surrounding Oahu are comfortably warm, have great visibility for snorkeling (often in excess of 100 feet), and are teeming with beautiful coral formations and colorful tropical fish.

You can snorkel over fantastic spires and crevices of coral, watch for eels, starfish, rays, lobster, or even a giant ulua. Many reefs like these can be found on the North Shore near Haleiwa.

In addition to beautiful reefs for snorkeling, one can generally find schools of Dolphins off the leeward coast at Waianae.

Many of Oahu's snorkel boat charters will also include sailing as a part of your ocean experience.

Snorkeling trips will likely include lunch, Mai Tai's and other beverages as a part of your Oahu snorkeling adventure.

Look for this symbol in the tour descriptions below to indicate if it is Pride of America compatible.

Snorkeling Excursions Sorted by Specific Tour

We sell tickets to 58 items in the category Snorkeling Excursions on Oahu.

Enjoy an eco-friendly sea turtle snorkel adventure for all ages and skill levels. Our goal is to get snorkelers in the ocean interacting with and learning about Hawaii's sea life in a safe and friendly

Choose "Cruising Maunalua Bay" for two amazing hours on a 41 foot custom dive excursion boat off Oahu's shores! See Hawaiian sea turtles, a variety of tropical fish and incredible views on this jaunt to

From Waikiki, your professional nature guide will shuttle you by van to a tropical rain forest past Puowaina (Punchbowl Crater) to the top of Pu'u Ohia (Tantalus). Guests be outfitted with a bike and Bell

From Waikiki, your professional nature guide will shuttle you by van to their own private 75 acre property in Manoa Valley. Guests will be issued trail snacks and a water bottle with optional rubber boots

Choose this Waterfall Hike, Kayak and Snorkel combination tour for an amazing day on Oahu!
Hike and Swim
Guests depart from Waikiki, professional nature guides shuttle you by van to Windward O'ahu where

In water dolphin watch and snorkel excursion. All excursions are lead by seasoned island naturalist with years of experience on the Waianae Coast. Dolphins are sighted daily year round. Includes dolphin

After departing from Kewalo enjoy a scenic 15 minute cruise south along the Waikiki coast towards Diamond Head. See marine wildlife in their natural environment and Waikiki Beach from a perspective you

Swim with sharks! The boat brings a shark cage along. From the safety of the cage you are able to swim with the sharks. The large shark cage can accommodate up to 6 people comfortably with built in hand

Your 120 mile narrated circle island tour of Oahu will give you the highlights of the island and some time to spend snorkeling with the majestic Hawaiian sea turtle at some of Oahu's most famous beaches.

Whether it is your first time in the ocean or you are a pro snorkeler, you will love coming on this deluxe snorkeling excursion. We provide the gear you need, not just a mask, but fins snorkels and floats

Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve is one of the most popular natural attractions in the world. It is a natural crescent beach in the sunken caldera of an extinct volcano. The bay is protected by the walls of

Go on a morning Waikiki snorkel on the newest boat in the Hawaiian Islands. Discover colorful tropical fish, green sea turtles, exotic coral reef and more of Hawaii's undersea life. Dolphins are also possibilities

Go on a Waikiki snorkel at Noon on the newest boat in the Hawaiian Islands. Discover colorful tropical fish, green sea turtles, exotic coral reef and more of Hawaii's undersea life. Dolphins are also possibilities

Enjoy a guided eco-tour with our certified instructors. Your journey will take you to the protected waters of Kaneohe Bay, which is an ideal place for kayakers of all skill levels. During your three our

Your Midday Deluxe Catamaran Dolophin Snorkel Experience - Begin to cruise Oahu's Waianae coastline to search for and swim with dolphins. We will perform chanting for safety in the traditional Hawaiian

Swim with sharks aboard the Mo'o with the original shark boat crew. On this unique tour you'll have a once in a lifetime experience, swimming freely in the deep blue ocean with all kinds of large pelagic

Choose this tour for a truly unique underwater adventure on a submersible scooter in Maunalua Bay. The underwater scooters will allow you to view the marvels of the sea while effortlessly riding your very

Choose "Cruising Maunalua Bay" for two amazing hours on a 50 foot catamaran off Oahu's shores! See Hawaiian sea turtles, a variety of tropical fish and incredible views on this jaunt to Maunalua Bay. Snorkeling

Snorkeling opens your eyes to such beauties. The best and easiest places to snorkel year round is Hanauma Bay and Sharks Cove. The maze of reefs are filled with all types of animals, coral, and super cool

As you set sail and leave Ko'Olina Marina and head north along the coast line you soon will see pods of dolphins that play along the coastline daily. Roughly 200 spinner dolphins live along the leeward

As you set sail and leave Ko'Olina Marina and head north along the coast line you soon will see pods of dolphins that play along the coastline daily. Roughly 200 spinner dolphins live along the leeward

Sail out to Turtle Canyon along the south shores of Honolulu and Waikiki and snorkel off the boat in the warm water where you will see turtles and a variety of fish. On your trip back, keep an eye open

Get ready for an amazing 3 hour sail and snorkel adventure aboard the sleek Ho'o Nanea. Guests are provided all snorkel gear and instruction! Expert crew members will show you tropical fish and fascinating

Travel offshore 3 to 4 miles to where the sharks are. While on this tour you will also have the opportunity to see Hawaiian green sea turtles, dolphins and humpback whales, when in season. Bring a camera

Travel offshore 3 to 4 miles. Once you get to the area, the shark cage is placed in the water. The cage floats on the surface and measures 9 foot by 9 foot by 8 foot high and is made of metal and plexiglass.

Green sea turtles are abundant along the coastal areas near Haleiwa harbor. The boat will travel along the reef structure in search of turtles. Passengers can view them from the boat and (if conditions

Early morning is usually the calmest for ocean conditions and a great time to enjoy the scenic west side of Oahu. Travel 20 to 30 miles for sightseeing and dolphin watching (as well as whale watching when

The destination of this trip is usually at Turtle Canyon where you can snorkel in 20 feet of water for 35 to 45 minutes over beautiful tropical reefs filled with many varieties of fish and sea creatures.

Individuals, families and small groups or companies can sport fish in privacy aboard our comfortable vessel. A variety of reef fish are caught while anchoring or drift fishing over reefs on a reef fishing

This sail is perfect for visitors with a desire for real sailing in a private setting. Departure from Honolulu permits guests to enjoy the beauty and excitement of blue water sailing year round, and while

Trained naturalists will lead you right to the protected green sea turtles on this unforgettable adventure. Then, paddle off to secret offshore snorkeling spots while your guide explains interesting facts

Your adventure begins when you're picked up at your hotel in Waikiki for your trip to Kailua. You will make a quick stop by our store to sign waivers and take part in a safety briefing with weather assessment,

This paddling tour sets off from the famous Kailua Beach and cruises through the calm, reef-protected waters of Kailua Bay. A trained naturalists will guide you on a 15 minute paddle through the beautiful

Snorkeling Excursions Sorted by Company

Hopefully your ready for this, because this may me the most exciting tour you have ever gone on! The very first tour company to offer shark tours was North Shore Shark Adventures and their new concept in Hawaii tours has created an industry that has become incredibly popular over the course of the last few years. More Info / Buy Now

The company 'Bike Hawaii' deals with much more than just bike rides. Over their long history they have evolved to include hiking tours and kayaking trips as well as snorkeling and sailing adventures. Common ground for all these tours is a desire to take the island visitor to out of the way places and provide an ecological perspective. More Info / Buy Now

Dolphin Excursions operates off the Waianae Coast of Oahu and its daily morning and afternoon snorkel tours specialize in swimming with dolphins. Going out with small groups on this fast and maneuverable 'SCARIB' boat makes it all the more personalized. Van pick-up is included from your Waikiki Hotel. More Info / Buy Now

If sailing is truly your ultimate objective in going out on a boat you will be thrilled with a ride on the sailing boat Paragon. The Paragon is a 47' sailing catamaran that is designed for these waters and designed for speed. There are not that many boats that pass through these waters that could go faster than this one. More Info / Buy Now

Bob Twogood is the man behind the amazing story of Twogood Kayaks. Bob has been a pioneer in the sport of kayaking on Oahu's windward coasts. His original interest in kayaking led him to be a former national champion kayak racer and in 1982 he brought his considerable skills and kayaking prowess into fruition culminating in the establishment of his burgeoning new enterprise, Twogood Kayaks Hawaii. More Info / Buy Now

Blessed with some of the most calm, clear and beautiful snorkeling waters in the state Kaneohe Bay is the location that is visited by Holokai Kayak and Snorkel Adventure. You will enjoy the bay and the sea life but will also get a chance to kayak out to the film location of Gilligan's Island. These guided kayak tours are wonderful but if you would like to rent a kayak on your own, that can be arranged as well. More Info / Buy Now

Iruka Hawaii offers snorkel and dolphin watch tours off the coasts of the two islands in Hawaii that provide the very best venue for observing dolphins, the Waianae Coast of Oahu and the Kona Coast of the Big Island of Hawaii. More Info / Buy Now

The beautiful North Shore of Oahu provides the seascape for one of the most majestic boats on the island, the Ho'o Nanea, operated by North Shore Catamaran Charters. This 19 passenger, 40' sailing catamaran is one of the fastest on the island and offers fabulous sunset cruises, picnic snorkel sails and whale watching in season. More Info / Buy Now

The 232' Star of Honolulu is the largest dinner cruise boat in Hawaii, has four levels and seats as many as 1500 people. You will have your choice of various tiers of dinner options varying between 7 course, 5 course and 3 course meals, all at varying prices. A smaller vessel, Starlite, seats only 149 passengers and provides dinner cruises as well. In the winter months the Star of Honolulu also provides whale watches. More Info / Buy Now

Tradewind Charters specialize in private charters and can accommodate anywhere between just two to as many as twelve passengers on their 43 foot sailing yacht. Depending upon how many you may have in your party you just may be completely surprised in a favorable way by just how much money it will actually cost to charter a boat privately. More Info / Buy Now

North Shore Hawaii Turtle Tours prides itself in providing custom client relationships through our boutique Ohana-style tours. We believe in bringing out small groups and providing incredible encounters with Oahu?s wildlife and natural beauty. We are the only circle island tour that provides snorkeling as an option and the opportunity to swim with the noble Hawaiian green sea turtles on the north shore. Come with us to enjoy a full day of exploring everything Oahu has to offer. More Info / Buy Now

Go out on an adventure with Holokai Catamarans! Discover colorful tropical fish, green sea turtles, exotic coral reef and more of Hawaii's undersea life. Dolphins are also possibilities on this incredible adventure. Snorkeling in Hawaii is very fun and easy. More Info / Buy Now

Captain Bob's Sailing Adventures offers and exotic snorkel tour to Kaneohe Bay on East Oahu and also takes you to a shallow sand bar in the bay to get off and explore and even play a game of volleyball. You'll find this experience so unusual that your friends at home will find it hard to believe that you did it at all. Lunch, adult beverages and hotel pick-up are all included. More Info / Buy Now

Hawaii Nautical offers a large variety of boat tours throughout the island of Oahu and on the Big Island of Hawaii. Snorkel tours and dolphin watches are offered in the mornings and the afternoons and in addition they offer sunset sails, dinner cruises, scuba and snuba options, whale watching in season and private charters. More Info / Buy Now

Ko'Olina Ocean Adventures is a tour boat company that operates out of Ko'Olina Harbor on the west facing Waianae Coast. They operate two separate boats, a 37' catamaran called the Ko'Olina Explorer and a 35' custom power boat called the Pacific Passion. Both are fast and maneuverable and will whisk you off to pristine snorkel locations and race you against the wild dolphins found along the coastline. More Info / Buy Now

One of the most beautiful sailboats sailing the waters off the coast of Waikiki is the Makani Catamaran. This 64' x 32' Cat is one of the very fastest on Oahu often achieving speeds of over thirty knots. Flush with the most modern amenities you will be able to enjoy a wonderful sunset sail, a coastal daytime sail and a snorkeling excursion. More Info / Buy Now

A "Breathing Observation Bubble" (B.O.B.) may sound like something you might need in the intensive care unit of your nearest hospital but in reality it is a type of helmet that you put over your head and breathe through as you travel through water about 20' in depth on a form of underwater scooter and enjoy the underwater sites. More Info / Buy Now

Kailua Sailboards and Kayaks is located on the windward side of Oahu about an half-hour drive from Waikiki. They provide a variety of kayak tours which are either guided or self-guided and they have an interesting kayak/boogie board option as well. In addition they offer instructions in the 'hottest' new ocean sport of 'stand-up paddling'. More Info / Buy Now

Hawaii Ocean Promotions will pick you up at your Waikiki hotel and take you to the famous Hanauma Bay Preserve on Oahu's southern coastline to snorkel with the abundant sea life. All gear and instruction will be provided and you will be treated to an instructional video on location about Hanauma Bay prior to entering the water. More Info / Buy Now

One of the most scenic coastlines on Oahu is the West Coast above Waianae near Ka'ena Point. Ocean Joy Cruises specializes in touring this area which is great for snorkeling but is extremely famous for its dolphin sightings. Their large and stable 61' power touring catamaran has all the comfortable features to make this outing a great day on the water. More Info / Buy Now

Aqua Zone is a great option if you are looking to take-in some diving while visiting Oahu. One and two tank certified dives are available to visit the numerous 'boat and airplane wrecks' located off the southern and eastern shorelines. One and two tank introductory dives are also available at bountiful sea life locations as are daily snorkel tours. More Info / Buy Now

Hawaii Shark Encounters offers one of Hawaii's most unique tours and can be found on the North Side of Oahu departing from the Haleiwa Boat Harbor. You will travel approximately 3 miles off the coast to an area that is inhabited by a large shark population and you will be jumping in a shark cage behind the vessel to view these amazing 5' to 15' long sharks. More Info / Buy Now

Islandview Hawaii is family owned and operated their Pelagic Dive tour company is located on the north shore of Oahu at Haleiwa. Here at Islandview Hawaii, we continue to share and receive knowledge in order to perpetuate our ocean lifestyle for future generations. Come aboard the Mo'o and let us share our tradition! More Info / Buy Now

Looking for something totally different? Why not try a self-propelled, underwater, electric scooter in beautiful Mauanaloa Bay on Oahu. This professionally guided tour will have you gliding along the reefs in no time as you enjoy this one of a kind adventure. More Info / Buy Now

Keawe Adventures is a private island tour and activity guide service company. They officially opened their doors in 2008, and have been conducting tours state wide. They are a Hawaiian and veteran owned business that provides visitors and locals a unique experience in a private setting. More Info / Buy Now

One of the most beautiful catamarans to ever grace the waters off the coast of Waikiki is the 52' Rudy Choy designed custom cruising catamaran, the Royal Hawaiian. This famous boat builder built this specific boat with the expressed purpose of sailing Hawaiian waters. The boat is used for snorkel and sailing trips as well as private charters which can include dinner, sunset, star watching and whale watches. More Info / Buy Now

Hawaiian Diving Adventures offers dives for advanced divers to explore ship wrecks, deep reefs, even unexplored areas. They also offer different reefs for both beginners, introductory dives and snorkeling options.The staff spends a lot of their time exploring new reefs, trying to find new and exciting locations that others haven't found. They will cater to your experience level and find the right dive sites that will give you the most exciting and memorable dive! More Info / Buy Now

Video Transcript

So just like all the other islands in Hawaii, the category of snorkeling is absolutely the largest. More people doing snorkeling on all the different boats, in all the different locations than we have in all the different categories, in any other category on the island of Oahu. So this is a big thing. Everybody wants to do it.

You can arrange for all different sizes and types of boats. You can go out of many different locations, and there are some really special things about snorkeling in Oahu that really don't exist on other islands. So let's get into just showing you a map of Oahu, and really the snorkeling locations that we have are all around the island- many different locations.

You're probably going to be staying down in this area, Waikiki or Honolulu. We do have snorkeling that leaves out of Waikiki Beach. We have out of Honolulu down here, Kohala Basin. We have boats that leave. We have boats that go out of Ko Olina, and Waianae Harbors up here, out of Haleiwa up on the North Shore, and then out of Kaneohe, the Kaneohe area, and Kailua. There will be snorkeling that goes on there. Hanauma Bay is here, a very famous snorkeling spot that you can go to. So really, all around the island there are locations where you can find snorkeling.

They go out in many different varieties. Some are half days. Some are full days. Some you are entering in off the beach. Others you are beyond boats. Of the boats, we've got various sizes of boats. We have extremely large boats, powered catamarans- a couple decks. We have Sailboats and catamarans that will take you out. We have smaller, more zodiac size, or radon size boats that are kind of speedy on the water that take smaller groups of people. There are a number of different options that you have in terms of the types of boats.

I invite you to look through the section under "Snorkeling on Oahu", on the Tombarefoot.com site, and you'll be able to see all the different choices that exist. But there are some really different ones, things that don't exist on other islands that you might be interested in.

One of those is on this area of the Waianae coast. We have excellent snorkeling, lots of reefs and coral formations with different fish, and so on. But what really takes the cake there, is that we've got dolphins. Dolphins are usually a big part of the day. We actually have boats that go out specifically for the purpose of finding the dolphins. They also do snorkeling in the reefs. So that's an extra bonus that you are going to get when you are involved in snorkeling on that coastline. That's something you are really not going to see on other islands very often. The Big Island, a little bit. You get that kind of happening there as well, but at the other islands- no.

On the other side of Kaena Point here, on Haleiwa, we ... And there is a whole section that talks about this, but we have a shark cage snorkel that's involved there. Very, very popular. Very amazing to get very close to big, giant kind of sharks, 8, 9, 10 feet. Those are quite often completely filled out with visitors, so you need to organize those in advance. Please look at the section about the shark cage dives to understand exactly what happens with those, or snorkels and what happens with those. But that's another one that we've got.

Over on this coastline, we've got really, kind of an interesting one. We have a sandbar off Kaneohe, and it lies just under the surface of the water. So we have snorkels that go out, and really, really enjoy the ... There is lot's of reef out there, fish. The coral formations are amazing. But one of the super cool things that happens with the snorkels that we have that go out there is that we usually just pull, either before or after doing some snorkeling ... We'll pull right up on the sandbar, and have lunch and so on there. You actually jump off the boat and land in kind of ankle deep water, on sand. Although, it looks like it's ... Well it is! It's completely covered with water from the sea.

One of the cool things they've done out there is they put a volleyball net up, so you can actually for a little while- while you're eating your lunch during that period of time- you can play some volleyball, which is really kind of fun in the sense that if someone were to take a picture of you, it looks like you are playing right on the surface of the ocean! Being on that sandbar, and turning around and looking at Oahu, it is really picturesque.

These are really interesting and different things that you can do in Oahu with regard to snorkeling, than you can find really on any of the other islands. And of course, Hanauma Bay down here is just world renown in terms of it's degree of popularity, underwater marine reserve, and well taken care of and protected.

Oahu has a ton of different snorkeling options, lots of different boats, lots of fun things to do. This is something that definitely should be a part of your Oahu vacation.

If you have any questions about Tours or Activities in Hawaii, just give us a call or check out Tombarefoot.com. We are here to help.

Hawaii snorkeling is by far the single most popular category of activities to be found in Hawaii. One reason for this is that snorkeling in Hawaii is often a component of many different types of tours found on any individual island such as many of the dolphin watches, whale watches, diving tours, raft excursions and even in some cases dinner cruises.

Kauai's coastline is both varied and beautiful ranging from the more gentle inlets and coves of the Poipu and South Shore region to the dramatic, isolated and incredible shoreline of the Na Pali Coast.

There's a reason people love snorkeling on Maui. The ocean waters surrounding Maui and its neighbor islands of Lanai and Molokini are comfortably warm, have great visibility (often in excess of 100 feet), and are teeming with beautiful coral formations and colorful tropical fish.

The Big Island of Hawaii has a number of different boats that offer snorkeling tours. Many of them cruise the coast off Kona down to Capt. Cook. Most of the boats offer morning and afternoon trips and one trip even offers "night snorkeling" to see the giant Manta Rays.